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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

4/2: Tim Barry at the Beachland

Avail haven’t been very busy the past 10 years — two albums in a decade is nothing to brag about for a punk band. So it makes sense that frontman Tim Barry went solo. His early material sounds like Avail without the distortion (rather than the Americana he was shooting for), but his latest album, 28th and Stonewall, is a career-defining record. Barry ditched the clunky cowpunk that relied more on raw energy than actual songwriting and has moved on to authentic-sounding, dust-covered folk. Lush instrumentation, varied tempos and relaxed singing are shifts in the right direction. Even Barry’s lyrical tales have become more vivid and entertaining — like he’s been giving those old Woody Guthrie LPs a workout on the turntable. Avail always had a Southern-rock tinge; Barry’s solo work cuts right to the heart of that tradition. He plays the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd., 216.383.1124). Red Clay River, the Not So Good ol’ Boys and Audra Mae open at 9 p.m. Tickets: $10. — Matt Whelihan